Santa Claus
11
1.0
- proper noun
- /ˈsæntə klɔs/
- Literature
:
Papá Noel
- Every year, kids write letters to Santa Claus, hoping he will bring them their favorite toys.
- Santa Claus for Christmas
- dressed up as Santa Claus
- believe in Santa Claus
I'm telling you now, Santa Claus is coming to town.
- I'm telling you now, Santa Claus is coming to town.
Examples
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Oh, Santa Claus is coming to town.
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Thank you from Santa Claus for the delicious snack.
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But I thought you were playing Santa Claus.
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Uncle Scott, are you Santa Claus?
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This guy's a little like Santa Claus.
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I'm telling you now, Santa Claus is coming to town.
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It might be Santa Claus.
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D.R. went to the mall in Palm Harbor, and she saw Santa Claus!
Blog text (23) -
They look at me like it's Christmas and I'm Santa Claus.
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Santa Claus wears shorts and sandals, ringing a bell as he collects for the Salvation Army.
Fiction book (2000)
Synonyms
742
1.0
A jolly old man who brings presents to children on Christmas Eve
8
2.0
An imaginary man who brings presents to children at Christmas
4
3.4
A kind man in stories who brings presents to children at Christmas
3
3.6
A man in stories who brings gifts to children at Christmas
1
5.0
A man in stories who brings presents to children at Christmas
A Christian saint from the 300s who inspired Santa Claus and gave gifts to children at Christmas
Surface Forms
Morphology
Santa + Claus
This is a referential proper name whose meaning is directly given by the constituent 'Santa' (the mythical gift-bringer); the addition of the surname 'Claus' does not create an idiomatic or unpredictable meaning. The concept of Santa Claus is culturally widespread and the compound is compositionally transparent, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents (or at least 'Santa') will understand the referent.
Etymology
Santa Claus comes from the Dutch figure Sinterklaas, who was based on the real St. Nicholas, a kind bishop who gave gifts to children. One popular story says Dutch settlers brought Sinterklaas to America and his name and look changed into the jolly man in red who 'brings gifts' at 'Christmas'.